The Price of Happiness
by shanchi-chan
Summary: He has a promise to keep, a promise made so many years ago under the eye of the moon. Will he help the blond run away from it all? Will he set him free? Help him forget? Can Kurogane be the rope tethering Fai to the ground as everything crashes and burns?


A/N: I know this looks really long but, please, bear with me here. I need good, honest reviews. This is a project that I intend to finish. I've the entire plot figured out and now I just need flesh to its bones. This is rated 16+ because of some overly bad word and subtle hints at incest. There will be no incest through the whole thing, no actual incest at all really, but if the two weren't related and of different genders, you would think they were dating. Just think of it as brotherly love.

******- - -**

The dreams in which I'm dying are the best I ever had.

Mad World- Gary Jules

Through It All~

It was dark, but, then again, it was always dark, and cold, terribly and unfathomably cold. The only warmth came from the person sleeping next to the malnutrition blond, and even he had a temperature to envy ice. To make already horrid matters worse, their captor was determined to make things even more dreadful by supplying them with only one set of clothing, a pair of boxers and a thin t-shirt. Those were all the covering both boys knew. The awake boy's situation was even worse than his twins because, being the youngest but stronger boy, he'd given up his shirt to his older look-alike when he'd fallen asleep, determined to make his rest just a bit more comfortable. As if things could ever really be comfortable.

He knew summer must have come and gone many times during their stay, it was only natural, but there was only one temperature in his personal mixed up hell. Cold. Had Mother Nature given up on them? Did she just overlook their freezing bodies and go on about her life, not bothering to send even a little wisp of warmth their way? The blond wouldn't mind _actual_ Hell. He actually envied the souls who were forced to burn for all of eternity. At least _they_ were warm. Oh, the things he'd give to be in Hell, if only for a few moments. It must feel so nice. To burn. To die...

"Fai? B-Brother?" Fai snapped out of his thoughts, which were toeing on the edge of suicidal. He looked in the general direction of the voice and blindly reached out a pale and numb hand in search for another equally pale, equally numb match.

"Yes, Yuui?" The other beside him said nothing in return, just squeezed his younger brother's fingers and crawled forward a bit to lay his head in Fai's lap, who in turn sighed and brought up his other hand to stroke his identical's hair. Everything was once again quiet and still. They both said nothing as they sat frozen in silence, trying to keep the chattering of their teeth under control as not to disturb the other if he was thinking of something.

"Fai?"

"Hmm?" There was a short moment of silence in which Yuui quickly swallowed and wet his lips.

"You're colder than usual and it's not fair...on you. I'll be fine, please just... You can have your share of clothing back. Okay? Take it." Fai sighed and shook his head before sliding his hand down from his older's hair to gently lay it on his soft cheek. Yuui leaned into the touch and closed his eyes. Suddenly remembering his motives, Yuui shook his head and sat up; he stared into the empty blackness he knew his brother's face was. "I'm serious, Fai!"

Fai smiled sadly and slowly reached out until he could once again grab his other's fingers. Yuui jerked away violently, which was no surprise to Fai. Instead, the boy just chuckled lightly at his older's reaction.

"You're so predictable." Fai laughed again and ran his fingers through his un-cut hair, but Yuui wasn't amused. Blood rushed to his cheeks and he growled lowly before pouncing on his younger half, throwing him to the ground and pinning him there by raising Fai's arms above his head and holding them down with his knees. Fai laughed harder, a light and carefree sound that made Yuui's head spin.

"You're impossible!"

"Oh, I'm very possible, brother." Yuui blushed harder at his younger's response and started with his shirt, taking it off quickly before dumping it on the face of the one under him.

"Yuui, I wasn't joking when I-"

"Shh, I have a plan." Fai grew quiet. The last time Yuui uttered the words "I have a plan" they ended up whipped and without food for God knows how long, Fai doubted even God could recall how long. They both still had scars all over their backs from the incident, scars that would never fade or go away. Sometimes, when they'd fall asleep, they would have vivid nightmares of the whip tearing into their skin, blood pooling beneath them as they cried out for the mother they never knew. Their hands were tied above them by a thick and rough rope which hung from a ring bolted to the ceiling. They were facing each other, forced to watch the others pain and know their own was not far behind.

_"Yuui!" _**__****Crack!**_ "Please, leave Yuui alone!" _**__****Crack!**_ Blood flowed from a fresh opening in Fai's back onto the ground and into a steadily growing pool of blood. The blond groaned and arched his back against the blow. Tears burned his eyes and his fist were clenched into tight balls. His fingernails ripped into the soft skin of his palm, making even more blood run down his arms. "I'll take Yuui's hits! Just let him down!" _**__****Crack**_! Fai screamed out and twisted frantically. The welts on his back burned and stung. Bled and bled and bled._

_"Fai!"_**__**** Crack! Crack! Crack!**_ The whips flew down mercilessly on Yuui's back, the boy had no time to finish his screaming from one strike before another was tearing into his flesh. _**__****!**_ Yuui fell limp in his bonds, his head hung limply and his blood splattered hair hung in front of his face._

_"Yuui! Yuui, no! Brother! Ahhh!" The whip cut into Fai's back again, silencing him. The person behind Fai laughed and called to his partner._

_"He fucking fainted! What a pussy! Wake 'em up, Joe." Whoever Joe was laughed and sliced into Yuui's back again, cackling the whole time. Yuui's body just hung there, giving no response to the strike. Fai could taste bile rising in the back of his throat at the sight._

_"He's unconscious! You monsters, leave him the hell alone!" A whip bit into his skin but Fai didn't care. "You're sick-" _**__****Crack!**_ "Vile!" _**__****Crack!**_ "I'm sorry, Yuui!" _**__****Crack! Crack!**_ Joe had come around and was now helping the other with Fai. Two whips were hitting him at once. The pain caused white dots to fill his vision and he could barely breathe. "Never again," Fai whispered. He could feel himself fading away and he didn't mind. There would be no pain where he was going. "Let's never do this again..."_

Fai flinched and sucked in a breath.

"Yuui, that's-"

"I know what you're thinking, Fai. I was thinking that too, but it won't end up like that. We'll get away this time, the both of us. We'll be free! Trust me, Fai." Yuui leaned forward to grab his brother's hands. His face was mere inches away from touching Fai's. he could feel his other's breath ghosting across his face. "This will work, I know it."

"What if it doesn't?"

"What if it does?"

"Yuui..."

"No, shush."

"But-" Yuui leaned forward and pressed his lips against Fai's forehead. Fai inhaled sharply and let his pretest die in his throat. His older's lips were smooth and hot breath slipped through a slight part.

"Please," Yuui breathed, keeping his same position. He squeezed Fai's hands and leaned more into the boy. "Trust me." Fai sighed, deafeated and quickly kissed his brother's lips.

"Fine."


End file.
